QuiltCon East 2017 - Part 1

Di left yesterday morning - Saturday, March 11. I drove her and her two very packed suitcases to Brownwood, one of the squares in The Villages, where she caught a shuttle to Orlando. From there she was to fly to Dallas to connect to her non-stop flight on Qantas to Sydney. Coming here, her entire trip took more than 30 hours door-to-door. The Dallas to Sydney Qantas flight alone is 17-1/2 hours! As I write this, Di's still in the air!

Our last selfie

As expected, our good-byes were difficult, with both of us shedding tears, and expressing thanks for our adventures. As therapy, I spent Saturday thoughtfully muddling through housework, laundry, ukulele-playing, and sewing. But again this morning I missed her while making fresh vegetable juice. I didn't make as much for just Dan and me. And I keep expecting her to walk out of the guest bedroom. 😞

It's time I shared a little about QuiltCon, which I've already determined has to be more than one blog post. QuiltCon is so much more than "a quilt show," especially when participating in a couple workshops, used an all-lecture pass (there were 23 lectures available and I attended 13), made a point of attending free demos, and intentionally and accidentally met up with quilters known through Instagram and blogs. Those four days of QuiltCon were intense, interactive, tiring, fun, and not-to-be-missed. I have no regrets for investing time and money in attending this wonderful quilt show in Savannah. In my 30 years as a quilt maker, I've never enjoyed any show as much as I did this one. No doubt it was made extra-special by Di's presence.

Here are some of the 15 or so Australian quilters who were at QuiltCon. Twins Michelle and Monique from Sydney bookend Di (second from left); Best of Show winner Katherine Jones from Tasmania (wearing black); and Lorena, also from Sydney.

Katherine's 98" X 98" winning quilt was definitely a show-stopper, and deserved the recognition it received. Katherine told me she designed it in four identical quadrants, first making foundation papers and then piecing them with solid fabrics. The name "Bling," is perfect for the gemstone that Katherine describes as a "princess cut diamond."

Bling, from the back.

Katherine quilted it herself.

Katherine made this "Smoke" quilt too. 

I love how she used thread density, several thread thicknesses and weights, and color to create a vaporous effect. 

From the back...

Another winning quilter used a similar quilting technique. This is Cassandra Beaver's "Infused Plaid Quilt," that won first place in "Use of Negative Space." Except for a few pieces of fabric, the plaid effect is all thread! This pattern is in the Mar/April 2017 issue of Modern Patchwork magazine.

This 46" X 60" quilt, "Lincoln" by Kim Soper not only won first place for Improvisation, it also won the People's Choice award.

I found my own quilt in the show where 19 quilts from the Michael Miller Luxe Challenge were displayed. I didn't win a ribbon, and didn't expect to, but "Lime 'n Luxe" will appear in the to-be-published-in-2019 Modern Quilt Guild coffee table book.

By the way, the top I'm wearing is one made from a Spoonflower knit with a design from our Central Florida MQG logo! Emma Thomas-McGinnis is the creative force behind several Spoonflower designs from our chapter logo.

These are the first-, second- and third-placing quilts in the Luxe Challenge.

Susan Clay, 59" X 62"

Kari Anderson, 62" X 58"

Dawn Golstab, 80" X 80"

See all the Michael Miller Luxe Challenge entries here, on the Michael Miller Fabrics blog.

To see more MQG quilts, open this link to the MQG site of winners.

QuiltCon is definitely about people. Lots of this happened in the hallways, lecture hall, classrooms, and show, as people bumped into one another - and thanks to having our real name and handle on our name tag - realized they've been Instagram followers of each other. Lots of hugging and chatting. It was always fun to meet a friend!

Jacquie Gering, Jacquietps, is from Kansas City and is chair of the MQG Board of Directors.

Di and I were tickled to discover that during a lecture we sat next to MyBearPaw, Jo Avery of Edinburgh, Scotland. We could have chatted with her much longer!

SewGoodSewFar, Anna of Texas...

I was able to chat extensively about teaching with ChristaQuilts who is Christa Watson of Nevada. We could have talked a lot longer too.

I really admire the improv quilts of CapitolaQuilter, Karen Foster, of California.

She showed me around the QDAD (Quilt Design a Day) exhibit of quilts, of which she was a part. 

Here's Amy Johnson from Virginia, of AmysQuiltingAdventures. 

I so admire Amy's free motion quilting and ruler work - she has a retail and online store - and it was a treat to also share dinner with her and the Australian and New Zealand contingent.

Since I can't post all the pictures here, I'll make this the first of several QuiltCon installments.

Though I have to say, the abundance of photos I took during Di's visit can't begin to compare with those taken by Di! I can't wait to read her upcoming blog posts, not only to see her pictures, but to read her impressions of her American experience. Di is an excellent writer whose wit and humor shines through her writing, and makes her blog a fun read. I highly recommend you visit her at www.SnippetsnScraps.blogspot.com Linda

Charleston and Savannah

Di and I continue to be on the move, and I'm SO far behind on blogging about our travels and activities! But, I want these posts to appear in chronological order (because I have a blog book printed at the end of each year), so this one goes back to February 21 and 22.

Following our February 20 visit to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, Di and I drove to Charleston, South Carolina for an overnight. We toured the city on February 21 opting for a city overview on a 16-passenger horse-drawn carriage.

I'd visited Charleston with Dan many years ago, but seeing these stately homes along Battery Row never fails to elicit wonder. 

I love imagining myself wearing an opulent day gown, drinking a mint julep and fanning myself while sitting on a veranda watching the carriages roll by. I'm sure life then wasn't as romantic as I imagine.

These days, such mansions require the practical aspect of paying for maintenance and upkeep.

Some of the churches are as grand as the homes.

After our Charleston tour, we drove out of town to Magnolia Plantation. The plantation property was extensively landscaped by owner and minister John Drayton. In 1870, to raise funds to keep the plantation, the grounds were opened for public tours. The original plantation house burned in a fire; this is the house that was rebuilt on the site. The wide verandas on four sides were added later.

Though we were a little early for blooming flowers, the azaleas and bougainvillea were started to show. Reverend Drayton is credited with bringing azaleas to the US.

After Magnolia Plantation we headed to Hilton Head where we spent the first of five nights in a time share (courtesy of a very dear quilty friend). Each day we commuted about an hour and ten minutes to Savannah.

The day before QuiltCon began, Di and I shared a rainy day of Savannah sightseeing.

As we did in Charleston, we started with a 90-minute narrated trolley tour. Unbeknownst to us, the tour included stops where famous Savannah characters hopped on the trolley and told us about their role in Savannah's history. Our first guest was Forest Gump! Much of the the movie Forest Gump was filmed in Savannah. In the opening scene, a feather floats down from a Savannah church steeple. Also, Forest sat on a movie studio-made bench in one of the squares.

This young lady entertained us with her story of being a seamstress and later opening a school for black children.

Savannah boasts 24 squares, with many of them encircled by beautiful homes. Di and I planned to walk through several squares, but the incessant afternoon rain deterred us from doing that.

This building was erected by Henry Ford and used as a showroom for car sales.

While it rained, we checked out The Chocolat Library on Bull Street, a shop with chocolate truffles made by Adam Turoni who's among the top ten US chocolatiers. I heard a program about it last year while listening to public radio.

A few of the truffles came home with me, though they were a little worse for wear due to the soggy sack, and heat of the car. I knew I should have eaten them right away!

After the chocolate shop, Di and I found a fabric store.

It stocked a variety of nice fabrics, but with quilting cottons all at $12 a yard, neither of us bought anything.

When we completed the city tour, we drove ourselves to Factor's Walk/River Walk on the Savannah River where we both indulged in a warm praline and coffee.

Across the river we could see the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, where QuiltCon was to take place.

 

You can see it was a rainy, gloomy day. The tall Westin Hotel is on the right. The new Talmadge Bridge, which gets people to/from Savannah into Georgia, is in the distance on the left.

Waving Girl statue on the river is in memory of Florence Martus who for many years waved to all the ships coming into Savannah. Read the story about it here.

At 5 pm, Di and I rode the free ferry from the River Walk, across the Savannah River, to the Convention Center, to get ourselves checked-in for QuiltCon that began the next day.

Though the check-in lines were long, snaking back and forth several times, time passed quickly as we chatted with other quilters and moved quickly along in the line. The computer check-in took no longer than typing in your last name and hitting okay. And being one of the first 1,000 to register meant that both Di and I got a swag bag - a Robert Kaufman canvas tote filled with goodies that included a magazine, coloring book, and mini fabric packs. 

We rode the return ferry to the River Walk, again passing Waving Girl who was lit up. 

The next four days, from February 23-26 were spent at QuiltCon. Much more to come! Linda

P.S. Don't miss reading Di's latest blog post about her experiences! She seems to be having fun! 

Biltmore House

Di arrived in The Villages, from Zetland (a Sydney suburb) Australia, 24 days ago, and we simply haven't stopped going and doing. Moments to spare are extremely few, so that means no blogging, though I have definitely accumulated photos and memories that are share-worthy!

We began a whirlwind of activities, that included QuiltCon (February 23-26), when we left The Villages on Sunday, February 19. We started off with a nine hour car drive to Asheville, North Carolina. Long-distance driving is an activity with which I am thoroughly unaccustomed because Dan does all the driving whenever he and I travel together. But, I knew it was the right thing to do. Who besides me agrees that it wouldn't be prudent to put an Australian driver behind the wheel on a US trip?! 😆

Following that one long travel day, the rest of our road times have been in shorter increments.

On Monday, February 20 (President's Day) we visited Biltmore Estate. I'd heard how fabulous the house is, but my expectations were entirely surpassed.

It took six years to build the house, which was completed in 1895.

For our interior tour, we each rented a mobile phone-looking device. We had only to tap in a number for the room we were viewing to listen to a story about the room - sometimes narrated by a Vanderbilt grandchild. This is the first room inside the vestibule on the main floor, the beautiful Winter Garden.

I took this photo from the ground floor looking toward the top of the third floor. The electric chandelier drops through all the floors. You can also see the black wrought iron stair railing.

A fabulous, sweeping staircase goes from the first to third floors. And there's also an elevator! Quite avant garde, the house was electrified when it was built. Apparently Thomas Edison was a friend of George Vanderbilt and was asked whether AC or DC current should be installed. Since Mr. Edison didn't know which would be most used in the future, Mr. Vanderbilt installed both!

The Banquet Hall is where the family ate 7 to 10 course meals in front of the triple fireplaces. A larger table in the center of the room expands to seat 38 people.

At the opposite end of the hall is this Skinner pipe organ, installed in 1916. The ceiling of the Banquet Hall is seven stories high.

Talk about a fabulously furnished and equipped library! This room holds half of the 22,000 books Mr. Vanderbilt owned. He was an avid reader and invited celebrated authors to his home including Edith Wharton and John James.

Mr. Vanderbilt's bedroom also has a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom.

 This is a typical bathroom. A clawfoot bathtub is across from the toilet.

At the bottom of the house, this is the Stone Hallway where the foundation walls can be seen. The footings extend 29 feet into the ground.

Also below ground is the 70,000 gallon, heated swimming pool with it's ropes for hanging onto, and underwater lighting. The last time the pool was filled for an evening party, guests went to bed and by morning the pool was empty. Apparently it has a leak!

An exercise room.

The kitchen and its multiple storage rooms, including a refrigerated room, were fascinating. It took 33 full time employees to run the house.

Both electric and manual dumbwaiters were handy to the kitchen, for sending food up to the Banquet Hall. 

Even the adjacent laundry rooms were interesting to see. Two full time laundresses operated it.

In the Drying Room, these sliding electric racks were used to dry wet sheets and table linens.

Back upstairs, in the Bachelor's Wing, was a finely furnished Billiard Room.

What I haven't shown you is the rest of the house's hundreds of bedrooms and servants rooms, the bowling alley, smoking room, gun room, and numerous other salons and loggias. The house is simply a feat of architecture and unimaginable wealth. I am so glad I had the chance to visit, and share the experience with a friend who appreciated it as much as I did. Di and I talked about the house and the family for days afterward. Someday I'd love to visit Biltmore again.

Di and I have now put more than 2,000 miles under us as after Asheville, we went to Charleston and Hilton Head, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and St. Augustine and Winter Park, Florida... so far. Several more sites are planned, and I still have QuiltCon to share!

Because Di is seeing things us Americans find hum-drum and routine, her view of our travels is different and fun! I recommend you visit her blog, SnippetsnScraps, for the first of several travel posts she has planned.  Linda